Welcome

[Tel]

Although they're fine albums I'm not convinced that either Pet Sounds or Sgt Peppers were really all that influential. They certainly influenced quite a few albums that were released in 1967 & 1968 but beyond that I'm not sure they had a long lasting impact that shaped the music that followed to any great degree.

They certainly didnt change music to the same extent that the first Clash or Pistols albums did for example.

You could even argue the first Take That or Spice Girls album as more influential as they (seemingly) influenced the plethora of boy and girl bands that followed.

Innovative yes, but ultimately probably not as influential as all that.

What is influential and what is just copying?

For instance did The Sex Pistols do anything that The Stooges were'nt doing 8 or 9 years earlier? Did The Clash not just take a mixture of musical styles and combine them? The same really applies to The Beatles, they were 'influenced' by the music that was being bought into Liverpool by (especially) Sailors and again combined these styles. A classic example being the Country influenced guitar solo on All My Loving on With The Beatles. On the same album you had a cover by Chuck Berry sitting side by side with a cover of a Smokey Robinson song.

Were Take That and the Spice Girls the first to do that boy/girl band thing?

[Gavin Crumpton]

Being different and being influential are very different things. The Pistols and the Clash (and to a lesser extent the other first wave of Punk bands) genuinely influenced the music scene in this country and actually changed it. Trying comparing a copy of NME from 1975 and one from 1977 and that influence and change as a result is plain to see. The Stooges didnt do that.

It also continued to have a long lasting influence through the 80s, 90s and 00's through the likes of Joy Division, Manic Street Preachers, Nirvana, Oasis, The Libertines to name but a few.

Likewise Take That and Spice Girls may not have been the first boy band / girl band but they appeared to open the floodgates in the 1990s for that kind of thing in a way that the Osmonds et al did not.

As ever though with these kinds of discussions I think peoples viewpoints tend to be skewed  to a large extent by they grew up with. There's nothing new under the sun and everything is influenced to some degree by something that has gone before.

[Tony Smith]

OK i withdraw Black hole Star ( but its one of my top five albums still) in its place goes....Bob Dylan Desire, and  John,   Blue meybe or meybe not  Joni Mitchells best/greatest album  But for me Hejira   does it,  its a great album and it reminds me of a really great time of my life!
cheers
tony

[Nick Ring]

  Being of a sh*t stirring personality here's something to get you're teeth into.  Not Man related but this is the general discussion bit thiongy whatsit dofa.
  http://www.touched.co.uk/press/rjnote.html       All about da Blues.

[Martin Daughton]

That is fascinating and totally believable too.

[John Bannon]

Nick R, this is just what we need, have to teach computer dullards like myself how to upload music to this site. People can then make their own mind up on the music.

Tony, Another advantage of this site is coming across music by like minded people. Just checked my Joni Mitchell albums and I have'nt got Hejira so will be buying it pronto. Liking your choice of music.
It was your good self that got me into Nektar and agree with you, Remember the Future superb album and I believe it was their first, stand to be corrected though.

 

[Tony Smith]

John, Journey to the center of the eye was the first i think , another wonderfull album , which i think Roye may well play the whole thing on tour one day
 if you want a copy of Hejira i can do that for you, and if you like it you can buy the original, and if you dont nothing lost!
cheers
tony

[John Bannon]

Hi Tony, I will take you up on that offer, I will put my email address on the Manboard and we can get in contact, no idea how to do on this site. Anything I can do for you just let me know. Many Thanks.

[Jules]

Nektar. Hugely underated in this country, loved in Germany. They've had something of a chequered career lately, and seem to be challenging Man for the 'most lineups in four years' title. I have high hopes for 'Book Of Days' which should be on general release in May (thankfully I narrowly avoided the temptation to pre-order the elusive deluxe edition).

I've a full Nektar discography in the Manband Archive music section, under Family and Friends. That's in chronological sequence.

If Remember The Future hits the spot for you, I'd recommend A Tab In The Ocean (avoid the American pop remix) and Recycled, followed by Down To Earth, and the superb Sounds Like This. Journey To The Centre Of The Eye was indeed the debut album and, whilst it has some great music on it the production wasn't particularly kind to my ears, sounding a little strident and distorted.

In my view the later albums, after Recycled, showed something of a decline, but the 'Nearfest Live' and 'Pure' releases are strong evidence that Roye and the variable band can still cut the mustard on stage.

By the way, I reckon Pete Tuck could make a good showing as a 'Mo'' Moore lookalike. Just need a 'tash and bass Pete......

[Jules]

I will put my email address on the Manboard and we can get in contact, no idea how to do on this site.

No need to do anything John - the little e-mail icon to the left of messages in the Forum contains a suitable link.

For anyone wishing to hide their e-mail addresses by default, just access your Profile via the menu above.

[Martin Daughton]

I often enjoy a stroll down memory lane with this site.
It needs a bit of fleshing out from our particular collective point of view.
The entry for Gentle Giant is particularly Cymru-centric. I'm sure the Shulman brothers might grin wryly.

www.link2wales.co.uk/South/A.htm

[Rob W]

Re: Nektar. It was Neil Fore, all those years ago, who recorded for me a couple of Nektar albums (Tab & Journey). I couldn't stop paying them fo ages. Made me think that all this talk about Man & QMS, I heards loads more similarities betwen Man & Nektar, some, seemingly blatant. Some of the best music I've ever heard. Made up for Neil nicking my rare Man tapes I'd lent him............well not quite making up for it.......

[Allan Heron]

Made up for Neil nicking my rare Man tapes I'd lent him............well not quite making up for it.......

Not a man to hold a grudge then     That must about eight years surely

[Rob W]

My name is Rob, not surely   

[John Bannon]

It's that time of the year, another years subscription to Record Collector, can't think of the last time I bought anything through this medium since signing up to ebay... do like their reviews though.
Have the choice of a free CD for one years subscription:
Mott the Hoople - Fairfield Halls Live 1970
Linda Hoyle - Pieces of Me
Stackridge - Purple Spaceships over Yatton, Best of
Stone the Crows - Live in Montreux 1972
Gillan - The Gillan Tapes Vol 1
Dave Davies - Bug
Blue Oyster Cult - Bad Channels OST
Atomic Rooster - Homework
What should I go for?